are in. The delay in their equipment is in the ordnance department. The Twentieth Pennsylvania require horses and ordnance stores, for which requisitions are also in. I have orders from General Crook, dated October 14, 1864, to equip and mount the cavalry at Cumberland as rapidly as possible, and to report progress often in same.

B. F. KELLEY,

Brevet Major-General.

HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DISTRICT OF HARPER'S FERRY, Harper's Ferry, W. Va., November 2, 1864.

Major General P. H. SHERIDAN,
Commanding Middle Military Division, Cedar Creek:

GENERAL: The expiration of the term of service of the Eighty-fourth New York Volunteers and One hundred and ninety-fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers, the returning home of the Eighteenth Connecticut and Second Eastern Shore Maryland Volunteers, so reduces General Seward's command, that I have been compelled to send him the First Potomac Home Brigade Maryland Cavalry [Cole's]. This reduces the force at the Ferry to Twelfth Pennsylvania Cavalry and Fifth New York Heavy Artillery. By using every man that can be spared it is not possible to protect the party working on Winchester road beyond Charlestown. I think there should be with construction party all the time a good regiment of infantry and at least 500 cavalry. They have to use a large number of wagons, and small parties cutting ties are dispersed along the road. They can only be protected by cavalry. As the road progresses, the posts permanently to be occupied should have garrisons; otherwise, the road, when constructed, will be destroyed in the rear of the working party. Mosby has his entire command concentrated; and from information received yesterday he is strengthened by a portion of White's battalion. With his force, unless proper precautions are taken in advance, they certainly will destroy portions of the road as fast as constructed.

By consulting the map you will find that the road can be covered by proper disposition of a comparatively small force. Halltown, Charlestown, Cameron, Summit Point, Opequon bridge, and Stephenson's Depot are points that should be garrisoned. With these points held, and proper patrols day and night, the road cannot be interfered with. For this purpose, you will have to provide a force of about 3,000 men. With that number the road can be effectually protected. The train guards that will be saved to you I should think will be more than an equivalent for this force. If, however, the Manassas Gap road is abandoned, could not a part of the force used on that road be sent here, so as to leave your command intact? I sent forward last week some 1,700 men belonging to the Sixth and Nineteenth Corps and General Crook's command. Since then I have accumulated some 2,000 more. I am causing them to be armed and equipped, but labor under the greatest difficulty in finding officers to take charge of them. If Generals Wright, Emory, and Crook could each spare a few of their good officers for that special duty, reporting here every ten days, the men could go forward more promptly and in better shape. Mosby made a demonstration on train parked at Martinsburg night before last, but effected nothing, being easily driven off. General Kelley reports a demonstration on his line at Green Spring Run, with capture of force at that point. Enemy succeeded in getting off with prisoners and spoils.

34 R R-VOL XLIII, PT II